George Strait’s 2014 Tour Dates Announced

George Strait's 2014 Cowboy Rides Away Tour dates were revealed during a press conference on Monday (Sept. 9). This is Strait’s final tour, and the singer announced 26 shows, set to begin on Jan. 9, 2014 and end in June or later with a to-be-determined date in Dallas, Texas.

Last September, Strait shocked fans by announcing he'd be retiring from the road after the 2014 touring season ends. He hit the road with Martina McBride this past spring, promising that next year's dates would be his last -- although he'd continue to record new albums.

McBride is on board for some of Strait's 2014 tour dates. Before unveiling the 23 arena and three stadium shows, Louis Messina of the Messina Group announced there would be a different superstar opener for each week of shows. Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Sheryl Crow, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard with Lee Ann Womack, Miranda Lambert and Chris Young are a few of the announced opening acts for the 2014 Cowboy Rides Away Tour. It's not yet clear which artists will open which shows. Tickets will go on sale to the general public in select markets on Sept. 27 at 10AM local time.

"It's gonna be a little bittersweet for me," Strait admitted during the press conference. "It's starting to sink in now after the first leg of the tour ... it's sinking in a little more and more every day."

"My plan is to keep doing things here and there when I feel like it ... I can't see hanging it up for good, ever," he adds. "As long as I'm enjoying it, I'm gonna keep doing it."

On Sunday night (Sept. 8), the 'I Believe' singer served as honorary captain for the Dallas Cowboys prior to the team's opening home game against the New York Giants. He then watched the game from a suite inside Cowboys Stadium.

It was recently revealed that Strait has signed a five-album deal with MCA Records, the only record label he's ever been on.